As it is January and I like to be as much of a cliche as possible I thought I would do a few spiritual/health posts. Today we have from my friend Amiee who, while looking otherwise normal (funky name spelling aside) is also a CRYSTALS PERSON.
So I asked her a bit about crystals.
WTF Amiee… crystals???
I know, I know. So often people say to me “Crystals? really? Do you actually believe they work?” MY response can only be “No, No, of course not, I just work with them every day to waste my time and the time of all the lovely people to come to work with me!”
Seriously though. It really is just all about physics and science and vibration to vibration. When you look at it like that and not like it’s some kind of magical voodoo that only the selected few can understand, it becomes a lot easier to relate to.
Simply put, everything on the planet vibrates (super fast so we can’t see – physics). Our body needs to vibrate as high as possible to be at optimal health. When we come into contact with something that vibrates at a similar frequency to us (aka crystals) but the vibration is higher (aka crystals), we will try to match its vibration. This means when we come into contact with a crystal we will try to match its vibration. Vibrate higher, thus feel better.Make any sense?You know when you meet someone when you are in a bad mood but their energy gives you wings? You just pulled up to match their vibration…
You lived in LA for a while, did you catch the crystals bug there? Or have you always been a massive hippie.
In honesty The Hippie has always been lurking inside of me just desperate to get out. Living in LA certainly changed me and Im sure I became a lot more open to the “unusual” while I was out there. However I spent most of my years out there in fashion and design. It was only in my last two years that I changed course and got involved in wellness.
Okay, okay – maybe I AM a bit crystals-curious. Where do I start crystalling the shit out of my house?
I always think that zapping the Wifi pollution is a good start. We all surround ourselves with so much wifi toxicity and it effects us more than we know. Typical symptoms are anxiety, trouble sleeping, mental fog. Clear that shit up and its like a whole new world for so many people.
Whack a big piece of smokey quartz at your front entrance. It looks beautiful and it will suck up not only low vibration from Wifi, Pollution and such like; but it will even clear your space of low energy vibration that visitors might tred into your space. You know, those people who make you feel drained after you have been with them. That is Low Vibe. Make sure they literally leave it by the door.
Also. Black tourmaline by every computer to suck up the wifi radiation as it emits.Go the extra mile by placing a pyrite with it. That will not only support your EMF (electro magnetic field) protection, but it is said to help manifest success and financial abundance. Where better to put it than by your desk.
I’m a shitty sleeper, is there a crystal that can help me with that?
Amethyst is great for sleep. This is because it works to reduce anxiety and calm the mind. The result – easier sleep. Lepiodolite is also really good for sleep issues. It is made up of Natural Lythium, (the chemical version of which is in anti depressants), which is a calming stress-reliever. This certainly aids sleep. This stone is also quite well known for dreaming which can make it fun to slip under your pillow.
My marriage is falling to bits – is there a rock you can recommend?
Not if you are planning to throw it at said spouse! On a serious note, I would say that communication stones can be helpful when marriage gets a bit rocky and people stop talking to each other. Try Chrycocholla or blue lace agate.
One thing to note as well is that sometimes we need a little time to think about what’s not working or what needs to be worked on. For a more reflective stone try Malachite or laborite.
I want to get back to work after 10 years looking after my kids. Is there a crystal that can help with getting my creative mojo back?
Pyrite as mentioned above is the stone for success, money and manifestation. Pair this with Citrine and you will be like a success firework. Citrine is a creative stone but it also fires up personal will, self confidence and manifestation. It is a stone of the sacral chakra and solar plexus (chakras are a whole other intimidating area that we can tackle another time). In essence, these are the areas of our body that literally embody power. passion and self belief.
Tell us more about your water bottles!
Ahhhhhh, my water bottles. I so love my water bottles. What I wanted to do was create a way for people to use crystals and benefit from their energy all day, every day. I decided to work with water as crystal energy is super-easily programmed into water. The stones literally vibrate into the water. When you drink the water you are drinking the vibrations. Its like mainlining crystal energy. Based on this I developed a water bottle so you can be mainlining crystal benefits all day long.
The bottle its self is copper which further amplifies crystal vibrations. Copper is also a great mineral to ingest traces of because it is anti inflammatory, it reduces joint pain, it stimulates the metabolism, it regenerates cells in the body (errr, hello anti ageing), it aids digestion….. the list does on. I have developed a water bottle that enables you to heal on so many physical and emotional levels with very little work from you. And to top it all off, you are binning plastic by using them. Win win.
Find Amiee’s brilliant copper water bottles here.
Amiee also runs chakra-tuning bespoke crystal whatsit healing thingies from her home in North London. Sort of therapy but with crystals! Like the sound? More here!
She also sources and supplies the different crystals she mentions above; some are available already on her website but I’m pretty sure she also takes requests, like a DJ.
09.18 – I am a bit annoyed by a few comments I’m getting on this. By all means take issue with crystals or alternative beliefs but please fucking hell do it with some sensitivity and thought. I genuinely welcome debate but any comment on this that just says “Quite a lot of bullshit” or anything even faintly mean will get trashed, and I don’t like trashing comments. At any time if you take serious issue with the content I choose to post please at the very least take the time to email me – esther@onthespike.com and we’ll have a chat about it. This is not a sponsored post and I have not been gifted anything.
I am so into all of this. Love it. I’ve already bought one of your water bottles and it’s not even 8am. Where would one purchase good quartz etc in the right kind of size. I’m always a bit wary of some guy in the internet being like ‘sure, it’s totally black tourmaline, pop that next to your router, love’ and I’m actually buying pebbles from his driveway. Because I’m a bit of a witchy hippy but I’m also a hard nosed cynic. Elaine x
It’s ok, I have answered my own question after a bit more clicking. Obviously the answer is FROM YOU. This is why you should internet shop before 8am without coffee, unwell and while muttering to your children to behave themselves. Sorry. Elaine x
Ha ha! Elaine Amiee will sort you out. But you have also pointed out that I could put a bit more detail in the piece about what Amiee does. xxx
There shouldn’t have been any question in your mind. Of course you can buy everything mentioned from the interviewee. Her job is to sell you useless things. Trash this if you like, Esther, but take your head out of the sand with regard to what is really happening here.
and you’re commenting anonymously because… ? is this you, Giles?
Seriously?
Quite.
Quite what?
Seriously what?
Not my bag to get through January (I favour increasing sense of failure as New Years Resolutions falter day by day and FURY with dry January – any crystals for that?!), but you do you, Spikers
Esther, what I have always liked about your various blogs is that you seems mostly pretty sensible. This crystal stuff is the oppose of sensible; at best it’s stupid, and at worst it can be dangerous. Your other commenters don’t typically seem like credulous nitwits, so I can’t imagine this nonsense will be up most people’s alley, so good luck to your moderating finger today I guess. Maybe it will start with me.
Well put. Couldnt agree more.
my mum bought a lovely amethyst stone once. Then she read that you were supposed to bury it in soil to replenish its energy, so put it in one of our pots in garden. Never found it again. So I guess my point is – careful not to do that with your crystals.
Thanks for the really interesting and informative interview about Crystals and healing.
My sister-in-law swore by the calming power of crystals. When she began to display signs of disordered thinking and manic episodes, her family begged her to seek mental health treatment, but she swore that she just needed more amethyst and lepiodolite crystals. Unfortunately she is now deceased after jumping from the top level of a Westfield shopping centre. Personally, I would go with the chemical version of Lythium.
Nigel. Your point is really important. Never don’t get help when you need it. Crystal every is a support for people. By no means should crystal work be used as a sole treatment or cure.
I think this might be the perfect justification for buying the citrine earrings I would really like, do you think?
I’ve just brought the energy and clarity water bottle – sounds fun. I’m trying to be more environmentally friendly and a non plastic water bottle sounds great.
One question – can I use it with fizzy water?!
🙂
Oh I’m so into this too & have also just bought a copper bottle. Will be getting crystals too. I now realise I was very stupid to throw away the large lumps of black & pink crystal that were left in the house we bought 12 years’ ago. (Maybe that’s where I went wrong 🤭.) Thank you for your brilliant posts Esther – always honest & entertaining. Love them ❤️
Crystals always remind me of Uri Geller who had two MASSIVE crystals by his front door (size of small ponies) and basically credited them with all his success and life happiness, he also wrote this:
“Here’s one answer – a crystal saved my son’s life.In the hall of my home we have a mountainous rock crystal which once belonged to Salvador Dali. During the early Seventies I was a guest of this strange man and his wife, Gala. He was fascinated by my powers – all his life he had been painting liquid spoons and molten clocks. I believe Dali thought he had conjured me from his own imagination. Long after Dali’s death, I saw his beautiful crystal was being sold at auction. I had to buy it. No price was too great. And I believe the stone repaid my extravagance.During my 40th birthday party my son, Daniel, who was then five years old, fell head-first from the first floor, over a balustrade to the marble hall floor. I think he had been listening to the laughter, and he leaned out too far. We heard a scream and a sickening thump as his little body hit the hard floor. I ran to him, instantly fearing the worst. He was not moving. But when I picked him up, he was alive – badly cut, but not feeling any pain. Daniel, who went on to make a full recovery, had landed close to the crystal.On the day after my birthday, I walked into the hallway and bursts of light exploded from the stone. I ran to the door, to see if a laser beam had been aimed, for some insane reason, into my hallway.But there was nothing. The light came from within the stone itself.I knew then the crystal had become a well of energy protecting my family.”
Basically I’m saying don’t knock it until you’ve tried it….
This is so interesting. We have a family friend who is really into crystals and she always gives me lovely stones, she gave me a beautiful pink crystal (rose maybe?) that I had in my pocket when I met my husband. Really interesting to read about the physics side of things too, thank you!
OOh Rose Quartz is the romance stone.
Yes, that’s what she told me, maybe it worked. I think of the Spike like a magazine, If I’m not interested in the topic I don’t read or comment on it. Seems a bit mean spirited to be so negative about someone else’s hard work especially when it’s much easier to just click away.
Yes. Especially when you’re not even paying for it!
Great piece. My son is on the Autistic spectrum & a couple of people have suggested crystals to aid sleep & calm the house even more. It’s worth a try.
I bet you get some polarised responses to this. Because I slept through my physics GCSE classes at school I didn’t know about the whole vibration / crystals thing, but it makes sense. Why not? There’s a lot of shit about the world and science that is, frankly, unfathomable. I read today that the magnetic pole is moving. MOVING!! I had no idea. I’m so thick!
Anyway, I have a lump of rose quartz by my bed, which will make the naysayers snort in disgust, but it comforts me. Maybe it’s a pretty thing, or maybe I’m looking to believe in mysterious, unseen forces to help after a shite few years. Some people turn to prayer, so why not faith in the power of stones? Crystals have been used for centuries in traditional medicine and who’s to say that a nice pink lump by my head as I sleep won’t help me stay rooted and balanced and comforted in some tiny way? Yes, there’s exercise and talking it through with friends and praying to anything in the wide night sky when you can’t sleep, but talismans are potent. Am I the only one who picks lucky pebbles up on beaches to turn over in my pocket, or tries to catch a falling, scarlet leaf from a tree. I’m chasing luck.
Maybe I’m mad and need to move to LA with my nutribullet but I think of a family friend who was dying of cancer and was given a huge lump of amber for healing which he had by his bed. No miraculous cure, but it comforted him and his family. And I think of the amber teething necklaces I put, in desperation, around my (forceps) twins’ heads, which didn’t do much, but comforted me. Of all the crap and hubris in the world, I don’t have a hard time believing that crystals / stones can have a power to do us good.
I’m off to google moving magnetic pole!
They won’t teach you this in school
I’ve always been rather sceptical of the whole crystal thing, despite being very open-minded about plenty of alternative therapies (acupuncture, chiropractic treatments and Chinese medicine are all in my family’s medical toolkit). But this interview, and especially Aimee’s explanation of the energy vibrations, has converted me. And if nothing else, the larger crystals look incredibly beautiful; what’s not to like?!
Thank you so much
Thanks for this Esther. I don’t see why anyone needs to get snippy about crystal healing. Fair enough if you think it’s cod-science or whatever, but even so…at the very least crystals are beautiful and we know that having beautiful things around can lower our stress levels and aid wellbeing. ALSO: we know that the placebo effect is a pretty powerful, clinically proven ‘medication’ in its own right, and if crystals (which are naturally occurring and non toxic and not dangerous to e.g. put in water or your home) have a healing effect whether that is placebo or ‘real’ then its not causing any harm to do a feature about them. And it isn’t really anyone’s business whether some of your readers want to have them in their home.x
I don’t really understand the fury and outrage with all this – it’s not my bag personally, but if it isn’t yours…..don’t buy them….?! If they make people feel better who am I to judge. From a purely aesthetic point of view, they are beautiful and would make a lovely addition to a house, regardless of any meaning attached to them.
This is pseudoscience and has been debunked. Studies have found no difference between the effects of holding a crystal and holding a lump of plastic that looks like a crystal, suggesting it’s just a placebo. Besides which, most crystals are just different coloured quartz, so they wouldn’t be able to “treat” different things. There’s also no such thing as wi-fi pollution (people aren’t trying to protect themselves from their radios, televisions or baby monitors, are they?) or chakras.
They do look pretty, but it is a bit worrying how many people appear to be convinced by it.
My life is awesome and I’ve got crystals all over my home! And copper cups from Amazon so the kids can drink copper water too! Thank you Esther for bringing it to the masses! 🙃
I am so interested in people’s responses to this. I tend to think of ‘alternative therapies’ as being on a kind of continuum, ranging from fairly harmless or even helpful things like herbalism – where you’re using the medicinal properties of plants for healing purposes, often backed by significant scientific enquiry – through to the really mental stuff like those dreadful essential oil-focused MLM pyramid schemes you see in the States, full of people rubbing undiluted grapefruit essential oil onto their babies’ bare feet, and even the anti-vaxx movement (and what absolute toxic bullsh*t that is).
I think crystal therapy, for me, is just a bit too close to that end of the continuum for comfort. I’m quite a science-minded person but the placebo effect is a very real thing, and if it works for you, brilliant! But it’s just a bit too closely tied to the ‘I know better than doctors and scientists’ brigade, and the horrible elitist world of hundred-dollar vaginal jade eggs and their ilk, for me to stomach. That said, it’s not like Aimee is suggesting we all sack off our doctors’ appointments or replace our chemo with a big chunk of quartz, and looking at pretty things does make me happy. Probably the best approach for all of us is to just take it with a pinch of salt?
People should do whatever they want and makes them happy, but there is no credible scientific evidence to support these sorts of claims. Any positive outcomes have been attributed to a placebo effect.
Love your jumper x
Complete nonsense and worst of pseudo science. Dont waste your money.
Just get a teddy bear
I can expand, but before I do, I should say that I love The Spike. I love everything you do here. I recommend it to everyone I know. My dad died in September, and, on the day he died, the only thing that got my sorry ass off the bed and on to a flight to organise his funeral was reading The Spike, making everything a bit more cheerful and tolerable.
So I come at this from a place of love. Everything you do here is so…smart. It’s sort of your trademark. And crystals just aren’t. They’re not remotely credible and giving someone space to promote their vibrating water just feels ever slightly disrespectful to your readers, who come here for the fantastic stuff you always publish.
I love your new fringe, it does amazing things to your eyes.
I am trying very hard to get rid of shit I don’t need. Two ashtrays full of stones that I collected / collated with my son were in the firing line but now I find that I do need them. Thanks! I will give them a polish for you all.
I also love the new fringe and the fuschia jumper really suits you! Crystals: I used to love them when I was a teenager, my parents were ageing hippies so it was kind of inevitable. I loved them because I thought they were pretty and I was happy to believe that rose quartz would bag me the Cambridgeshire 80’s equivalent of Morten Harket.
I must say, this post seems to jarr with what I’ve always assumed The Spike was about but then I thought, The Spike is you, you’re a super bright, intelligent and open minded woman; a writer who must surely enjoy exploring new territory? And by that, I simply mean, not always doing the effing same posts. Which you don’t btw! If I’m honest, I felt far more suspicious about your Gwynnie Gloop post than this one.
I have no idea whether crystals work but I’ve had reiki which has really helped me. (And I’m pretty cynical.) The two seem compatitable and your lovely friend Aimee doesn’t seem to be saying that crystals can cure everything. So I’m not quite sure why some seem to be so disappointed to see this post here. It’ll be for some and not for others. Live and let live people. We’ve got a crumbling government and Brexit to contend with!
Crystals, crystals I’ve got a friend who is so far down the alternative therapy road she makes crystals look like paracetamol. Please feel free to ask what she gets up to, it a hoot and a half, I’m all for a bit of alternative in life.
I must admit, I was disappointed to see this piece. Whilst I generally agree with ‘you do you’, I absolutely see the dangers of people relying on this rather than professional, scientifically-proven help. It feels similar to those MLMs where essential oils are meant to cure illnesses.
I agree that it feels out of kilter with what the Spike readership is about, and I do think it’s irresponsible to promote this, because there are so many vulnerable people out there.
Sometimes there are posts in The Spike about clothes you can’t see yourself buying, or interiors you don’t really like and sometimes you’re all in with everything.
Whether you like it or not why not just be nice, or nod and move on, there’s space for everything in the world.
Perhaps it’s just a case of what feels good for you as an individual. I like having crystals around, more from an aesthetic view than a vibrational one, but l don’t think they’re something dangerous that needs to be attacked.
I don’t really feel the need for expensive handbags, but read the post, admire the bags in the post, ( yeah that beige and lavender one was so cute- I just don’t have the life that bag needs 🤪) silently thank Esther for creating this great blog and get on with the rest of my day.
So crystal haters, perhaps try this too?
I really enjoyed the post & will buy a water bottle – they look fab. I also like your fringe. I got one myself before Christmas – sadly, it has led to more frequent hairwashing but it’s worth it!
WiFi pollution?! That’s not a thing! This all feels rather predatory to me. I have loved the spike, but this just feels like you’ve given your friend a huge sales pitch to a captive audience. So many people may read about the so called symptoms of WiFi pollution and think it’s what they have. When those symptoms can be of any myriad of different issues associated with this modern world we live in. My highest qualification is an A level in physics so I am no pro here, but there are countless studies to show crystals have the same effect as placebos (ie large lumps of plastic). Granted crystals may look nicer, and if it’s as innocent as that then crack on, but bloody hell some editorial would have been good here.
I agree. My original comment has been moderated away I think. The article goes too far for me with the pseudoscience but if you click any of the links it’s off the scale.
No, Hannah, your comment has not been moderated away, I just don’t spend much time here on the weekend.
Sorry! I see it now.
“It really is just all about physics and science and vibration to vibration.” No. It is all about pseudoscience and sales. I clicked the link to the bottles and there are so many ludicrous claims on there I don’t even know where to start. It’s all untrue. I’m a pharmacist and I usually love all the content on here but this is a giant leap too far for me.
Literally the only benefit you will get is from a placebo effect. It sounds like there is also a small potential risk of copper poisoning from the bottles, especially if you store acidic drinks in there or leave water for long periods of time. So proceed with caution or ideally not at all.
Yes not to pile on, but the “physics and science” bit bothered me as it’s … not. My sister in law is very into crystal spirituality and I have absolutely no problem with it as a personal set of beliefs – but once scientific claims that can be easily disproven are made, then we’re in a different ballpark. I don’t even have problems with making evidence-free spiritual claims about different crystals! I own a piece of sodalite that I got as a good-luck charm in school to help me focus while I studied. Does it help? Well, I take it out when I’m trying to focus and then its presence on my desk reminds me that I’m supposed to be focusing. People have been using reminder-objects like that to focus their thoughts forever, and this one is awfully pretty. If it works on some level of spirituality and magic, well, humans are strange animals and all kinds of things affect our psyches and I’m comfortable leaving it at that.
But “wifi pollution” claims that a physical phenomenon is happening that just… isn’t particularly happening. Any object that has mass – kitty litter, a bunch of bricks, a bookshelf – will absorb electromagnetic radiation that passes through it. There’s nothing about quartz that sucks in spare wifi that’s floating around. “A quartz crystal by my door makes me feel spiritually protected and reminds me to leave negativity outside” = a belief. “Quartz crystals soak up wifi pollution” = a science claim.
I have several crystals I love looking at and sometimes holding in my hand. They calm me down. So what if it’s placebo? Why would anyone get so aggressive about it?Jesus. If you don’t like them, just.. don’t have any crystals. I was always quite sceptical about it, untill I slept at a friend’s place who had a lapislazuli and a rose quartz close to her bed. Never slept better. So now I do that and sleep better than before. What’s the harm?
This would have been totally fine if it had talked about crystals being aesthetically pleasing, fun to play around with, and nice to have in your home, but the second you have someone claiming that they will LITERALLY heal you with “physics and science.” this becomes really hard to take.
This is really not what I expected from the Spike. I’m generally all for “not for me, you do you, whatever makes you happy” but really, crystals? Copper vibrating water bottles? Wifi toxicity? If you want big crystals and copper bottles because you think they look nice, fantastic, but putting any health benefits other than placebo is complete pseudoscience. As other commenters have mentioned, there is absolutely no reported difference between using crystals and using plastics that look like crystals.
I’m disappointed.
This does give some food for thought. My first thought was completely dismissive, however yesterday I bought some ‘age defying’ cream and some pro -biotic drinks. Neither, I am sure, have proven results. So I think we need to be careful about how we judge. I don’t think I will be shooting off to buy crystals but then I have always wondered how children always seem to be drawn to these Crystal stalls ?